Thorpe Park | Hyperia | Mack Hyper Coaster | 2024
- Thread starter Matt N
- Start date
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- 2024 new coaster thorpe park
Matt N
CF Legend
Oh wow... the excitement is really starting to heat up on Project Exodus now!
Seeing Logger's Leap and Rocky Express gone does look very strange, as for all the years I've been visiting Thorpe, that area has always been relatively sleepy and calm. I cannot imagine a 236ft tall coaster in that bit of the park at all, and while it's very easy to dismiss something as "not being that big" when you're viewing renderings and such, I think Project Exodus will look truly ludicrous compared to everything else around it when it's been erected!
As for the ride itself; I will make no secret of the fact that I feel that something non-inverting and with more of a focus on traditional straight airtime, such as a B&M Hyper Coaster, would perhaps have filled more of a discernible hole within Thorpe Park's coaster lineup and the overall UK industry, and if I'm being completely honest, such a ride would also have aligned with my personal taste a bit more.
With that being said, the Mack Hyper Coaster as a proposition is certainly growing on me the more I look at it. While the ride layout doesn't have many straight airtime hills per se (only the one at the end), and perhaps doesn't look like the flat-out UK airtime machine that I and many others were yearning for, some of the inversions and other elements look very cool and could provide some high quality negative g-forces.
To be frank, all of the elements look like they could really deliver. The first drop could potentially be top-class, the Immelmann looks awesome if the similar element on Icon is anything to go by, the outerbank into an inversion looks very unique and could be a really inspired element with some good negative g-forces if the fast roll on Blue Fire is anything to go by, the dive loop could provide some nice hangtime, the overbank could provide some interesting sideways forces and the airtime hill into the brakes could have some good airtime. Overall, it looks like an excellent layout with no dead weight or elements that don't really deliver.
It certainly looks like a very unique hyper coaster, and I think that it has a very inspiring layout design. While it won't be the longest hyper coaster on Earth by any stretch of the imagination, it won't be shockingly short either (around 40 seconds from lift hill to brakes, and 6 elements in total excluding the first drop, which I wouldn't say is terribly short by any means), and the layout looks like one that plays to the strengths of a shorter ride duration. With a very intense combination of show-stopping elements, and no real "dead space" if you like, Exodus looks like it could suit being short. I reckon it could be like the Wodan of hyper coasters, where it's not the longest coaster on Earth, but doesn't let up at all and leaves people coming into the brake run suitably amazed!
When all is said and done, though, it's just exciting to see a 236ft tall coaster being built in the UK!
Seeing Logger's Leap and Rocky Express gone does look very strange, as for all the years I've been visiting Thorpe, that area has always been relatively sleepy and calm. I cannot imagine a 236ft tall coaster in that bit of the park at all, and while it's very easy to dismiss something as "not being that big" when you're viewing renderings and such, I think Project Exodus will look truly ludicrous compared to everything else around it when it's been erected!
As for the ride itself; I will make no secret of the fact that I feel that something non-inverting and with more of a focus on traditional straight airtime, such as a B&M Hyper Coaster, would perhaps have filled more of a discernible hole within Thorpe Park's coaster lineup and the overall UK industry, and if I'm being completely honest, such a ride would also have aligned with my personal taste a bit more.
With that being said, the Mack Hyper Coaster as a proposition is certainly growing on me the more I look at it. While the ride layout doesn't have many straight airtime hills per se (only the one at the end), and perhaps doesn't look like the flat-out UK airtime machine that I and many others were yearning for, some of the inversions and other elements look very cool and could provide some high quality negative g-forces.
To be frank, all of the elements look like they could really deliver. The first drop could potentially be top-class, the Immelmann looks awesome if the similar element on Icon is anything to go by, the outerbank into an inversion looks very unique and could be a really inspired element with some good negative g-forces if the fast roll on Blue Fire is anything to go by, the dive loop could provide some nice hangtime, the overbank could provide some interesting sideways forces and the airtime hill into the brakes could have some good airtime. Overall, it looks like an excellent layout with no dead weight or elements that don't really deliver.
It certainly looks like a very unique hyper coaster, and I think that it has a very inspiring layout design. While it won't be the longest hyper coaster on Earth by any stretch of the imagination, it won't be shockingly short either (around 40 seconds from lift hill to brakes, and 6 elements in total excluding the first drop, which I wouldn't say is terribly short by any means), and the layout looks like one that plays to the strengths of a shorter ride duration. With a very intense combination of show-stopping elements, and no real "dead space" if you like, Exodus looks like it could suit being short. I reckon it could be like the Wodan of hyper coasters, where it's not the longest coaster on Earth, but doesn't let up at all and leaves people coming into the brake run suitably amazed!
When all is said and done, though, it's just exciting to see a 236ft tall coaster being built in the UK!
Peet
Giga Poster
The UK seems to have well and truly fallen out of love with the humble log flume, by my reckoning the last one to open here was Valhalla in 2000, and we've lost at least 7 of them since then:
- Barry Island Pleasure Park
- American Adventure
- Blackpool Pleasure Beach
- Camelot
- Alton Towers
- Thorpe Park
- Great Yarmouth PB
We basically only have Valhalla, Tiger Rock and Stormforce 10 left now, plus some small or travelling ones.
Still, I love roller coasters much more than log flumes so in this case bring on the bulldozers!
- Barry Island Pleasure Park
- American Adventure
- Blackpool Pleasure Beach
- Camelot
- Alton Towers
- Thorpe Park
- Great Yarmouth PB
We basically only have Valhalla, Tiger Rock and Stormforce 10 left now, plus some small or travelling ones.
Still, I love roller coasters much more than log flumes so in this case bring on the bulldozers!
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Sandman
Giga Poster
Maybe I'm the stickler here, but I don't even consider Valhalla to be a log flume. Not in the traditional sense at least.
Sadly, I have to walk past the remnants of an old Arrow log flume on a daily basis as it's just down the road from my house (Frontierland Morecambe). It's quite a haunting image really, considering log flumes were probably my first love before rollercoasters took over. I managed to grab a broken piece of it as a keepsake a few years ago which is fortunate as builders have recently come in to remove most of the trough.
Joelpagett
Mega Poster
It's actually quite interesting that a Merlin park is being so open about the construction of the ride - literally from the very start.
Most of the time projects are hush-hush, little detail is released and construction updates are few and far between, but they seem to be embracing the community and giving high-quality updates straight from the site which I'm all for.
Most of the time projects are hush-hush, little detail is released and construction updates are few and far between, but they seem to be embracing the community and giving high-quality updates straight from the site which I'm all for.
JoshC.
Strata Poster
For all the mud and rubble enthusiasts, here's a couple of views from Monks Walk I took earlier...
www.facebook.com
The Canada Creek Railway carriages look like they'll be disappearing soon too
editing in non mobile link - cheers Nicky!
Thorpe Park Mania
Whilst we're getting excellent coverage from inside the construction site from the resort themselves, we'll still be providing views of Project Exodus from Monks Walk! What was once Canada Creek now...
www.facebook.com
The Canada Creek Railway carriages look like they'll be disappearing soon too
editing in non mobile link - cheers Nicky!
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Nicky Borrill
Strata Poster
Facebook has destroyed your pictures for me with their compression... Looks like they're in just 26ppi
Edit (It's because you posted the mobile link and I'm on a PC)
Niles
Giga Poster
The first hill of Loggers has started to be removed 
And the station is no more.
With many trees being cleared the railway station has also started to have pieces removed.
Also Rocky express has been confirmed to be retired.
For more interesting pics see Source
And Source
There was a post made by merlin confirming around 15 months till opening, it looks like they have edited the post since if you go to there social removing this part.
And the station is no more.
With many trees being cleared the railway station has also started to have pieces removed.
Also Rocky express has been confirmed to be retired.
For more interesting pics see Source
And Source
There was a post made by merlin confirming around 15 months till opening, it looks like they have edited the post since if you go to there social removing this part.
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Swat
Hyper Poster
JoshC.
Strata Poster
My thinking here, especially on reflection, is that the "15 months to go" wording was inspired by the construction timeline, which suggested it would be a 15 month process. The Merlin Careers Facebook page is run separately, and won't be from someone 'in the know', and the editing to remove that phrase certainly suggests someone told them to remove it to temper expectations.
In any case, I think a May 2024 seems like the more likely time frame for now. Though obviously 15 months is a long time and many things could change.
So they are just ripping on the RMC logo?
No doubt this is an 'Easter egg' for fans.
Also potentially related to a possible (light) theme, with the little mountain look. The idea of 'scaling to the top' on the UK's tallest coaster as it were is pretty easy to push, and would work with the nature-esque surrounding in that area. The park have a similar light motif going on a board they introduced near the area last year too:
Coasterfreck
Hyper Poster
As a former operator of Mack Rides’ Rocky Express, that ride has been a huge part of my adult life and also childhood, this news albiet fully expected, is still absolutely gutting that the park haven’t found away to relocate/refurbish it.
Markiewong
Roller Poster
Swat
Hyper Poster
Ethan
Strata Poster
Based on what we have so far, I'm wondering if we'll see a (basic) Himalayan/mountain theme, with the plaza area being some "base camp" of sorts? Picturing the TV ad now... prayer flags blowing in the wind, the coaster's peak looming in the clouds behind it... I could vibe with that tbh.
Theme would also fit a grey paint scheme with the highest points in white, similar to Stealth, looking like snow on a mountain?
Theme would also fit a grey paint scheme with the highest points in white, similar to Stealth, looking like snow on a mountain?
DeathmetalmikeNL
Roller Poster
I am more of a coaster guy as well,Allthough:
if they are building things like Chiapas at Phantasialand, then im all in.
The more "classic" log flumes had their time i think. just look at all the log flumes being build in america, they are innovative and look like fun, even with coaster elements(such as launches and camelbacks.
Now on topic:
Even though im from holland i am looking forward to see the completed coaster. I really hope one day we will get more Thrilling coasters here as well.